Pansy Faye
| aliases = | series = Dark Shadows | image = | gender = | notability = | occupation = Mentalist | race = | base of operations = London, England Collinsport, Maine | known relatives = Leticia Faye Leticia Faye was the cousin of Pansy's mother. | status = | born = 1856 Date approximated based upon the age of actress Kay Frye in relation to the time era in which the character lived. | died = 1897 | 1st appearance = Dark Shadows: 771 | final appearance = | actor = Kay Frye Nancy Barrett }} Pansy Faye is a fictional mentalist, psychic and stage performer featured in the daytime Gothic soap opera series Dark Shadows, which aired on ABC from 1966 to 1971. Played by actress Kay Frye, she was introduced in episode 771 in 1969 and has made four appearances total in the series. Pansy Faye is part of the "1897 Flashback" storyline. Overview Pansy Faye was a psychic, who originally hailed from London, England during the latter half of the 19th century. She worked as a professional mentalist, often appearing in various entertainment venues. While touring the United States, she met and fell in love with Carl Collins. Carl proposed to Pansy and brought her back to Collinwood, where they planned on being married. Pansy became a victim of newly-made vampire Dirk Wilkins. Her ghost went on to possess the body of a minister's daughter named Charity Trask. Biography Pansy Faye was a young woman born in London, England in the latter half of the 19th century. She became a mentalist, gifted with the ability to perceive personal information about others through psychic meditation. The information she gleaned about a particular person or set of circumstances was strengthened by physical contact with a personal belonging. Pansy became quite successful in her craft and added a bit of showmanship and dramatic flare when taking her talents on stage. By the year 1897, Pansy had come to the United States and was working in Atlantic City. She was discovered by a man named Carl Collins from Collinsport, Maine. The foppish Carl was immediately enamored with her and the two began whirlwind courtship. He proposed to Pansy and she accepted. Carl brought Pansy Faye back to Collinsport, where he first introduced her to his cousin, Barnabas Collins and the Collins family maid, Beth Chavez. Neither Barnabas or Beth were particularly impressed with Pansy's showy demeanor, and they were more than a little concerned that whatever talents she did possess might unearth deep-rotted secrets that they had preferred remain hidden. Carl introduced Pansy to his sister Judith, but Judith was even less impressed with Carl's paramour than Barnabas and Beth were. She became quite perturbed with Carl after he accidentally let it slip that they had intended on marrying. Having left Pansy to her own devices for only a short period of time, she decided to leave the Old House and began walking towards Collinwood. A newly-made vampire, Dirk Wilkins, took the form of a bat and descended upon her. Dark Shadows: 771 Barnabas Collins found Pansy's body lying in a chair in the living room of the Old House. He found a length of rope around her neck, indicating that she had been strangled. Barnabas hid the body in a secret room behind the bookcase. Carl later came back to the Old House to find her, but she was clearly not there. He questioned Barnabas, who told him that he did not know where she had gone. As Carl began to panic, Barnabas attempted to soothe his concerns by suggesting other places that she might have gone. However, Carl found her purse with money still in it, and knew that she would not have gone anywhere without it. Barnabas promised to do what he could to find her once the opportunity presented itself. After Carl had left, Barnabas buried Pansy's body in an unmarked grave at Eagle Hill Cemetery. Carl returned to the Old House once again looking for her. The house was empty, but he could hear the sound of Pansy singing her favorite song. He called out to her, but got no reply. He was not ready to consider the notion that what he was hearing was a ghost. The ghost of Pansy Faye later appeared before Tim Shaw. Unaware that she was a ghost, he sought out Carl Collins and brought him to the Old House. The two of them searched every room, but could find no evidence of her. Later, at Eagle Hill Cemetery, Carl heard the familiar sounds of Pansy's favorite song, and again hearkened to the notion that she might be dead. Notes & Trivia * * Pansy Faye never drinks coffee. She prefers sherry (which she gobbles down in a single gulp). * Playing the role of Pansy Faye was actress Kay Frye's first work in television. * In the prologue scene to episode 772, which re-enacts the climax from episode 771, Pansy Faye is seen with a rope around her neck, suggesting that Dirk Wilkins strangled her to death. In the previous episode, there was no such rope around her, and she was shown with puncture wounds on her throat. This was likely changed so that Pansy could return as a ghost rather than rise as a vampire. * Pansy Faye had a younger sister named Rosie Faye. Like Pansy, Rosie was also a dance hall performer. This character has only ever been presented in the "London's Burning" audio drama by Big Finish Productions. * Pansy Faye was related to Leticia Faye, who was active around the year 1840. Leticia was a cousin of Pansy's mother. The two shared many of the same traits. They were both Cockneys from London. They were both mentalists who worked as entertainers in England before coming to the United States. They both became involved in romantic relationships with members of the Collins family from Collinwood (both of whom were played by actor John Karlen). * It is odd that no one from the Collins family of 1897 were aware of Pansy Faye before arriving in Collinsport. As her older cousin had been married to a Collins' back in 1840, possibly even siring children, it is likely that Judith, at the very least, would have some knowledge of the Faye family. * Actress Kay Frye was 41-years-old at the time time that she played Pansy Faye. Appearances Pansy Faye made a total of four appearances on Dark Shadows. She made a single appearance as a living person. She made a single appearance as a corpse. She made one appearance as a ghost, and one appearance in a dream sequence. She has also made multiple behind-the-scenes appearances as an unseen entity possessing the form of Charity Trask. * Dark Shadows: 771 - First and final appearance as a living human. * Dark Shadows: 772 - As a corpse only. * Dark Shadows: 777 - As a ghost only. * Dark Shadows: 778 - In a dream only. Related categories * images * appearances See also External links References ---- Category:Dark Shadows: 1897 Flashback/Characters Category:1856/Character births Category:1897/Character deaths Category:Psychics Category:Singers Category:Mentalists Category:Nancy Barrett